In a typical direct acting hydraulic cylinder (lift cylinder) that is provided in a forklift in order to lift a load, a cushion pressure is generated in the vicinity of a stroke end to absorb an impact occurring when the hydraulic cylinder becomes fully extended and stops.
JP9-317717A, JP2000-2207A, and JP2003-21113A respectively disclose conventional hydraulic cylinders of this type. In these hydraulic cylinders, an air chamber is defined inside a piston rod having a hollow structure, and working oil in a cushion pressure chamber that contracts during an extension operation flows into the air chamber through an orifice.